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The
Son
A
wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works
of art. They had everything in their
collection, from Picasso to Raphael.
They would often sit together and admire the
great works of art.
When
the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He
was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier.
The
father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas,
there was a knock at the door. A young man stood
at the door with a large package in his hands.
He said, Sir, you don't know me, but I am
the soldier for whom your son gave his life.
He saved many lives that day, and he was
carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the
heart and he died instantly. He often talked
about you, and your love for art.
The young man held out his package. I know this
isn't much. I'm not really a great artist,
but I think your son would have wanted you to
have this;
The father opened the package. It was a
portrait of his son, painted by the young man.
He
stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured
the personality of his son in the painting. The
father was so drawn to the eyes that his
own eyes welled up with tears.
He thanked the young man and offered to pay
him for the picture. Oh, no sir, I could never
repay what your son did for me. It's
a gift.
The
father hung the portrait over his mantle.
Every time visitors came to his home he
took them to see the portrait of his son before he
showed them any of the other great works he had
collected.
The man died a few months
later.
There
was
to be a great auction of his paintings. Many
influential people gathered, excited over
seeing the great paintings and having an
opportunity to purchase one for their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son.
The
auctioneer pounded his gavel. We will
start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who
will bid for this picture;
A voice at the back of the room shouted,
We want to see the
famous paintings. Skip this one;
But the auctioneer persisted, Will someone
bid
for this painting?
Who will start the
bidding?
$100, $200?;
Another
voice shouted angrily, We didn't
come
to see this painting. We came to see the Van
Goghs
and the Rembrandts. Get on with the real
bids;
But still the auctioneer continued,
The son!
The
son! Who'll take the son?
Finally, a
voice
came from the very back of the room. It was the
longtime
gardener of the man and his son.
He
shouted; I'll give $10 for the painting;
Being
a poor man, it was all he could afford.
We
have $10, who will bid 20? Give it
to
him for $10. Let's see the masters. $10 is
the
bid, won't someone bid $20?
The
crowd was becoming angry.
They didn't want the
picture
of the son. They wanted the more worthy
investments
for their collections. The auctioneer
pounded
the gavel. Going once, twice, SOLD for $10;
A
man sitting on the second row shouted,
Now
let's get on with the collection; The
auctioneer
laid down his gavel, I'm sorry, the auction is over!
What
about the paintings?
I
am sorry. When I was called to conduct
this
auction, I was told of a secret stipulation
in
the will. I was not allowed to reveal that
stipulation
until this time.
Only the painting
of
the son would be auctioned. Whoever
bought
that painting would inherit the entire
estate,
including the paintings.
The man who took
the
son gets everything!
God
gave His Son 2,000 years ago to die on
a
cross for us. Much like the auctioneer, His
message
today is, The Son, The Son,
who'll
take The Son?
Because, you see, whoever takes
The
Son ….. gets everything!!!
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